{Oh, how we cope with these slow days

[itchtokill]

Who: Kol Mikaelson OR Cisco Ramon and YOU
Where: Various places
When: Month of February
Rating: PG (?) will warn for anything worse as needed.
Summary: Kol is setting up to sort out this memory business; Cisco is getting down to business making a lab space, helping Chloe with the WPA, whatever.
The Story:

Comments

library

[bibliocorn]

The continued frustration with understanding Wonderland and the complete lack of text on the matter is one of Sunburst's bugbears. Knowledge is power- hell, it's his power, and lacking in it never sits right with him. He likes being able to research so much into a subject it would make others heads spin. But here...it's like trying to solve a riddle with most of it missing. And an answer that changes every month.

He trots over to Kol, a pile of books levitating along beside his head, which he dutifully places on the table next to the rest of the (largely) unhelpful texts.

"Any luck?"

[itchtokill]

"Not particularly," he admits with a soft huff as he glances up from the spot at the table he'd claimed hours ago. "There's loads of different versions of the Alice story, and a ton different takes on Wonderland, but none of it sounds like anything we've ever dealt with here."

[bibliocorn]

"Hmm, I've found that, too."

A fact Sunburst is none too happy about. He levitates a book into the air, flicking through the pages- speed reading something he's read what feels like a hundred time already.

"This version of Wonderland is far less willing to give up its secrets. Even the cast of characters, though similar to the Residents we have here- they are just different enough to make the whole thing rather frustrating. And trying to get sense out of them here is near impossible."

[itchtokill]

"Bloody annoying, honestly." He is all too grumbly about this fact as well, you are in good company on this score, pony-friend. "I came across a theory when I was talking to Claire the other day that's...interesting enough and makes enough sense it might be true." There's a pause and he huffs, "Not that it helps at all in figuring anything out but still." A roll of his shoulders in a shrug casts the thought away. "She pointed out that, virtually every other version of the story has Alice returning from Wonderland, but this Alice never did." It makes so much sense, it's annoying to him. Why does every single thing that follows some logic to what they know and what they've managed to dig up (which admittedly is barely anything at all), only leads to more questions?

[bibliocorn]

Sunburst takes a moment to consider that, one ear flicking as he mulls it around.

"Hmm. It would be an outlier. Er- she would be an outlier," that doesn't make it sound any better, Sunburst. "Perhaps in staying here, she changed the nature of Wonderland itself? Or perhaps the nature of this Wonderland was already twisted- and that's what trapped her here. Kept her from leaving and keeps us from leaving until it wants us to."

[itchtokill]

"It does seem to have some rather specific differences you never come across in the other stories... perhaps it is that this Wonderland trapped her, instead." Which helps nothing, essentially, but it's...something. Maybe.

[bibliocorn]

"I suppose the only way we would ever know is to find out exactly what or who is controlling how Wonderland works. I always assumed the answer would be at the Core, but given we can't go near that..." he sighs. "It ends up just being circular thinking- with no real solution in sight."

[itchtokill]

"There must be some way to access it..." He just doesn't know how and it's annoying. He may need to talk with Misty again soon.

[bibliocorn]

"That would be my hope. I'd like to get a little closer to it- to see just how close we can get to it before it...well, starts stripping away memories," he frowns. "But I guess that would be risky. There's also the fact us being on that side means our Mirrors are on this one. That's...something I'd rather avoid."

[itchtokill]

"Yeah, there is that." He admits with a slight nod. There's so much risk attached to it that he isn't sure how to even begin going about testing it yet. "I haven't had any experiences with mine, dunno what he's even like." He tips his head a little, "Yours really that horrible?" He's heard the stories about Freya's own mirror and, well. He can picture a lot of awful versions that could potential exist for himself. Sunburst though? Hard to picture him evil or something.

[bibliocorn]

"Sometimes, I wonder if it's better if we don't know what they're like."

Ignorance is bliss, after all. Sunburst's muzzle wrinkles in disgust.

"Hmm-hmm. He's just plain cruel. He seems to think he's better than everybody else and isn't worried about hurting others to get that point across," he waves a forehoof in a little circle around his eyes. "He uses dark magic, which is a whole mess of trouble, back home. It probably doesn't help his demeanour. It's known for uh- corrupting those who use it."

Which is exactly why Sunburst never would use it. And why his Mirror does.

[itchtokill]

"Perhaps, in some cases, that's true." He's sure his sister's life would have been better without having to deal with a no holds barred evil double of herself. He cocks his head to one side, an amused sort of smirk turning up his mouth. "You really are so innocent. What on earth are you doing being friends with me?" Kol is no stranger to the darker sides of magic, after all.

[bibliocorn]

"It would probably help me sleep better at night."

Instead of thinking about what his Mirror could be up to and spending his time trying to make sure he can't spy on him. He laughs at Kol's response.

"Because I have an extraordinarily high tolerance for and a weird knack of getting close to individuals who most would consider pretty irredeemable and-or dangerous," he offers a wry smile. "My best friend literally destroyed the world. Like. A lot of times. She's sorry about it, and making up for it, but ...yeah. The point is I'm less bothered about this kind of thing than you'd think."

His friendship circle back home is full of misfits, former villains and egomaniacs. He's the most normal one amongst them which is frankly a terrifying concept for him.

[itchtokill]

"I'm really glad I don't actually need sleep." Even if it does get rather boring at times. He sleeps sometimes, for the sake of something to pass the time, but he doesn't need it the way humans-- and ponies-- do. "You are a strange bloke." He muses, smirking a little. "But I suppose I'll keep you 'round." He might have left it at that, except a thought occurs to him, something Regis had mentioned Sunburst might know. "Oh, hey-- what do you know about records that someone named Evelyn kept about this place?"

[bibliocorn]

"That...probably is fortunate," he pauses, considers. "Wow, think of all the stuff that you can get done if you don't have to sleep."

Sleep, in Sunburst's opinion, usually gets in the way of his book reading, or learning about some ancient what-a-ma-hoozitz and he could do so much more with his time if his body didn't betray him and make him have to sleep for hours at a night. He gives a soft, amused (and horsey) snort at the comment.

"Uh...thanks, I guess?" He brightens at the question. "Oh yes, I do! She was my predecessor in the library, so I tried to keep as much of her affairs in order."

[itchtokill]

He just chuckles softly at the wistful note in the pony's tone at the idea. Kol got plenty done when most people were sleeping through their lives-- plenty of murder, mischief, and mayhem, mostly. But plenty. "What sort of stuff did she keep track of? Anything that isn't stock-standard about this place?"

[bibliocorn]

He'd be so happy with all that time. Alas.

"I think a lot of it is stock-standard, but I can show you where she kept all her things, if you'd like," his smile is a little sad. "I'm almost sad I never got to really meet her. She sounds like she was an incredible woman."

[itchtokill]

"That'd be brilliant, mate. I appreciate it." He smiles a bit himself. He may not launch into combing through all of it today, but to know where it all is, so he can go through it at his leisure will be a good place to start.